Allie and Misty

Who is Misty? The question swirled around her head as her frozen hands gripped the steering wheel. Nearly an hour past the last rustic gas station, she has not passed a car or seen another building in sight. Miles and miles of trees greet her, covered in a blanket of fresh snow as the icy wind whirls around her truck. Who is Misty? Her brain repeats for the 100th time since yesterday.

As Allie drives down the desolate winter roads, she remembered yesterday when the package arrived. She had been in a cloud of grief for 21 days because the vibrant life of her father, Arthur Adventure had been extinguished. She found a brief respite from her soul crushing grief as she opened the box to find a brass key and a handwritten letter from her late father. Swallowing back a fresh wave of tears at the sight of her father’s familiar scrawl, she opened the letter.

Heya Kiddo!

My darling Allie gator if you are reading this letter that means the expiration date for my life has come to pass. I want you to know that being your father was the greatest adventure of my life. My second greatest adventure was Misty and that my dear girl is what I’m passing on to you.

I found Misty during one of my many adventures. Through the years, I’ve come to love her and I think my dear girl, that you will find you love her too. I feel that caution is a necessity and I know my being vague is as annoying as a pebble in a shoe but I’m passing the adventure baton to you. Please protect my Misty.

You will find a journal at the cabin underneath the mattress that will shed light on many possible questions you will have after meeting Misty.

Kiddo, I hope this leads you on a great adventure.

Love always,

Your dear old dad

Butterflies with small, sharp claws attacked her stomach as she swung open the rusty gate with the NO TRESPASSING sign to a driveway surrounded by thick trees. As she came around a curve, sunlight glinted off a frozen pond and at the top of the sloping hill stood a simple, wooden cabin.

Allie’s chest squeezed at the sight of the cabin. Allie had always thought of her father as an open book and the realization that he was hiding a huge secret from her had her breakfast turning in her stomach.

Rushing water from nearby had her walking towards the trees and she saw a glimpse of the River. Breathing in the fresh winter air, she spotted a path near the pond her father had made going towards the river. At the sound of ice cracking, she looked towards the pond, watching her breath puff out, she thought she saw a shape beneath the water. She stared for a moment longer before she decided to head inside the cabin to find a clue about who Misty is.

Pushing the door open she was hit with the familiar scent of pine she had often smelled on her father when he came home from trips. There was no sign of life in the cabin or of recent visitors. On the left wall, a dusty fireplace with logs stacked on one side and a wooden bed on the other. The right wall was a wood burning cook stove, sink and a pantry for food. In the middle of the room was a table with two chairs.

Allie started a fire to warm the cabin and set the kettle on the stove for a cup of tea to warm her. Once the fire was roaring and a steaming cup of tea was in her hand, she lifted the mattress to see a simple black journal.

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she saw her father’s handwriting and the stinging reminder he would never write her a postcard from one of his adventures again. No more Heya Kiddo or Allie Gator. Running her fingers along the black journal a large lump formed in her throat. Sitting on the bed, coat still on, she opened the first page and saw the words written “Misty’s Journal”

Turning the page she saw the first entry was titled “Misty Arrived.” Misty arrived at the River Cabin and was immediately introduced to the pond’s cool water. She was curious and circled the pond slowly as if her brain was mesmerizing every inch of the pond. She came over a solid dozen times for head rubs. My main concern continues to be how much she will grow and how much variety her diet will need. My hope is that Misty will not outgrow the pond and will be able to visit the River when she needs more food so as to not be dependent on me to feed her or keep the pond stocked.

Dropping the journal in her lap, the lump in her throat expanded as she looked towards the lone window next to the door where she could see the shadows of the trees on the frozen pond. She needed to see Misty and she needed to see her now. She couldn’t reconcile her wildlife enthusiast father taking an animal from its natural habitat. The only thing that made sense to Allie was if the animal was in danger where it was at. What marine animal would her father feel so compelled to save and keep here? Opening the door, she was determined to see what lay beneath the surface of ice.

Frigid air seemed to bite at her exposed cheeks as she pushed her scarf over her face, never taking her focus off of the pond. The sun lent a golden glow to the surface of the ice as snowflakes began to softly land. Allie’s heart thundered as she reached the edge of the pond and looked into the freezing water.

The ice was not as thick as she had suspected as she gazed at the cold water below looking for signs of life. Lifting her head up and taking a long look around the winter silence around her, the snow weighing down the branches and fir trees that looked dusted in shimmering powder. The calming sound of the rushing river in the background. It was stunning here. She began to feel a fresh wave of sadness that she would not be able to share this with her father when a movement at the corner of the pond caught her attention.

A long slender neck was poking through the ice and large, flat eyes were staring back at her. The creature was the size of a seal and covered in blue-grey scales. Allie looked in amazement as it let out an impatient snort shooting droplets onto the water’s surface. Spinning it’s body slowly in a circle while never taking it’s eyes off of her. Cocking it’s small head after completing a second spin, she could make out it’s turtle shaped body.

“Misty.” Snorting a wet chuckle sound in reply, it clapped a paddled flipper against the water. “My God, you look like Nessie”

At that word, a memory from a half a decade ago forms in her mind. Christmas with her father freshly returned from Scotland where he had been visiting the famed Loch Ness. Egg nogs in hand as her father and her went through the countless videos and photos taken from his trip.

“Did you happen to see Nessie?” Allie had teased referring to the Urban Legend better known as Loch Ness Monster.

Her dad had stared into the fire a moment before saying “You think your old man would be able to find such an elusive creature” He looked at her with a huge grin on his face as she sat her eggnog down.

“Dad, you know I think you can do anything.” Her father had laughed, wrapping her into one of his famous bearhugs. “If someone were to discover Nessie, I certainly believe it would be you.”

Snow crunching beneath her feet pulled her back from the edge of her grief as she walked to the side of the pond that Misty was on. Reaching the pond’s edge, she watched as Misty extended her neck over the land and Allie reached out a gloved hand. Misty nuzzled against it. Allie gasped and Misty pulled back letting out a mournful wail that seemed to echo of the winter forest around them.

“I miss him too” Allie said, her voice choking with grief as she looked at the creature her father had loved enough to take care of for all of these years.

Allie stayed by the water, watching Misty paddle slowly through the water and rubbing her head when she came close. As the sun set and the chill deepened, Allie reluctantly left Misty at the pond. Her long neck disappeared as Allie was closing the cabin door.

Later, snuggled on the bed with the fire crackling nearby, Allie poured through every inch of her father’s journal on Misty. Sipping tea to chase away the night chills, she read her father’s detailed notes on how Misty had grown. Her father recorded every time he had refilled the pond with fresh fish and his estimation on how many times she entered the river based on the sensors he had set up by the path. She read about the times Misty had brought her father great joy by trying to flip in the air or sliding on the ice to the River. He wrote about how she had 3 different kinds of snorts, one for happiness, one for impatience and one for annoyance. Allie read until her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep dreaming that she heard singing from the pond.

Allie woke to a cold room that had her hopping out of bed to start the wood stove and fire. She had planned to enjoy a cup of coffee but as soon as her cup brewed, she headed outside into the frosty morning as the sun filtered through the trees. “Misty!” She called out surprised by the cheer in her voice. Head shaking, Misty appeared through the large crack on the pond’s edge. Neck out waiting for a comfort rub, intelligent eyes already trained on her, Allie felt a shifting in her heart.

The cloud of grief had not been lifted but as Allie nuzzled Misty she felt the first ray of hope pierce it.